Apparatus for cleaning pipe lines



Nov. 27, 1956 2. 0. ST. PALLEY APPARATUS FOR CLEANING PIPE LINES Filed Aug. 3, 1955 m m m m United States APPARATUS FOR CLEANING PIPE LINES Zoltan 0. St. Palley, Branford, Conn.

Application August 3, 1955, Serial No. 526,247

4 Claims. (Cl. 134-57) My invention relates to apparatus for washing articles by means or" a periodically reversed flow of cleaning fluid, and has particular utility in the cleaning of pipe lines.

One of the important objects of my invention is to provide an apparatus which, due to its high washing efficiency and automatic operation, can be used very effectively and economically for the sanitary cleaning of various equipments in dairy and food processing plants.

Another important object of my invention is to provide an apparatus which can be conveniently applied to pipe lines of various lengths and forms, and can accomplish the thorough cleaning of these pipe lines without their disassembly.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this application, wherein, for the purpose of illustration, are shown a preferred and also modified forms of my invention,

Figure l is a diagrammatic view of my invention,

Figure 2 is a sectional view through the liquid level gauge glass, showing the arrangement of the light source and the photo-electric cell,

Figure 3 is a similar view of an alternative modified embodiment of the'same,

Figure 4 is a similar view of another modified form of the same.

Referring to the drawing, the numeral 1 designates, as an example, a pipe line to be cleaned, the ends of which are connected to the outlets 3 and N3 of the tanks 2 and 102, respectively. These tanks are preferably portable to permit their convenient application to the pipe lines.

As these two tanks and the associated mechanisms are perfect duplicates in every respect, the description of one will be sufficient for the understanding of the present invention.

The tank 2 is provided with a removable cover 4 adapted to the hermetic closing of the tank. Leading into the upper portion of the tank 2 is the air pipe 5, connected to the control valve 6. This valve serves to control the entry of the compressed air into the tank 2 and has two positions In the open position it permits the passage of the air from the air supply pipe 7 into the pipe 5; in the closed position of this valve 6 the air supply pipe 7 is closed and the passage is open from the pipe 5 into the exhaust pipe 8.

Connected to this valve 6 by the operating rod 9 are the operating solenoids, so arranged that solenoid it), when energized, will move the valve into the open position, and solenoid 11, when energized, will move the valve into the closed position.

The manual switch 20 serves to open the circuit of the opening solenoid It) in order to prevent the opening of the control valve. This switch is used for the starting and stopping of the washing operation.

Mounted on the side of the tank 2 is the liquid level 2,771,892 Patented Nov. 27, 1956 ice gauge 12 which, in the preferred form, consists of a transparent tube of glass, vertically disposed and having both ends in communication with the interior of the tank 2, so that the liquid level shown in the gauge glass will correspond to the actual liquid level in the tank. Disposed on one side of said gauge glass 12 is thelight source 13. consisting of an electric lamp with suitable optical means, known in the art, to direct a stream of light substantially horizontally through the gauge glass 12. On the opposite side of the gauge glass 12 is located the photo-cell 14, receiving illumination from said light source 13 through the gauge glass 12. This light source 13 and the photo-cell 14 are mechanically tied together to insure their relative position, and they can be raised or lowered alongside thev gauge glass 12.

in the preferred form of my invention the photo-cell is of the photoconductive type, comprising a crystal the electrical resistance of which being an inverse function of the intensity of the light received. It is, however, within the spirit of my invention to employ photo-ele ments of the photo-emissive type, such as photoelectric tubes, which produce an electric current depending in value on the intensity of the illumination received.

Operatively connected by an electric circuit to said photo-cell 14 is the relay 15, in such a manner, that a predetermined lessening of the illumination of the photocell ld will cause the closing of the switch of the relay 15. In the preferred form of this invention, shown in the drawing, this electrical circuit comprises a gas-filled triode tube in, protective resistor 18, potentiometer 17, and the capacitor 3.9. The method of operation and the characteristics of this circuit are well known in the art, therefore, they need no description herein. It is also within the spirit of the present invention to employ other electric or electronic circuits known in the art for the actuation of the relay 15 by the photo-cell 14, provided it effects the closing of the switch of the relay '15 at a predetermined plus or minus, variation or change in the intensity or" the illumination of the photo-cell 14.

In the companion unit, which is an exact duplicate of the one herein described, the corresponding elements are designated by the same numbers plus 100.

The duplicate units, shown in Fig. 1 of the drawing, are connected together by four electrical conductors 23, 2d, 25, and 26, of which 23 and 24 are connected to the electric supply terminals 21 and 22, respectively.

The arrangement of the light source 13 and the photocell 14 is shown in greater details in Fig. 2 of the drawing. In this case the ray of light, produced by the light source 13, is directed by the optical means 27 so that it passes through the center of the tubular glass gauge 12 and then enters the photo-cell 14. As this ray of light enters and leaves the glass surfaces in a perpendicular direction, no refraction will take place and the intensity of the illumination of the photo-cell will be a. function of the light conductivity of the material within the gauge glass 12. This means, that when the air in the gauge giass i2 is replaced by the cleaning fluid, due to the rising of the fluid level in the tank, the illumination of the photo-cell will be reduced because of the lower light-conductivity or" the fluid as compared with that of the air.

Fig. 3 shows a modified arrangement of the light source and the photo-cell. In this case the light beam emitted by the light source 13 enters and leaves the glass surfaces of the gauge 12 obliquely, hence, it is subject to refraction. In case the gauge glass 12 contains air, the light beam will follow the full line in Fig. 3, and will strike the photo-cell 14. When, however, the gauge glass 12 contains cleaning fluid, the angle of refraction from and into the gauge glass being different than in case of air, the same light beam will change direction,

as shown by the dotted line, and may partially or even fully miss the photo-cell 14. This means that in Fig. 3 when the air in the gauge glass 12 is replaced by the cleaning fluid, the illumination of the photo-cell 14 will be reduced, due to two causes, due to the lower light conductivity of the fluid, as compared with the air, similarly to Fig. 2, and secondly, due to the directional change of the light beam caused by the difference in the angle of refraction between the fluid and the air.

Fig. 4 shows another modified arrangement in which the gauge glass has a V cross-section and is hermetically secured to a corresponding window in the side wall of the tank 2. The light beam emitted from the light source 13 and directed by the optical means 27, passes through the gauge glass 12 and furnishes illumination to photocell 14. When the air within the gauge 12 is replaced by the cleaning fluid the intensity of this illumination is reduced due to the lower light conductivity of the fluid as compared with the air. An additional cause for the reduction of this illumination will be the difference in the angles of refraction between the liquid and the air, as a result of which some of the light rays will suffer a directional change, from the full line to the dotted line of Fig. 4, due to refraction, and will by-pass the photocell 14.

There is also a third important cause which will etfect a change in the illumination of the photo-cell 14 when the air within the liquid level gauge 12 is replaced by the cleaning fluid. This is the fact that, when the light beam, projected from the light source 13, leaves and reenters the inside surface of the gauge glass 12, a portion of the light will be reflected and will not contribute to the illumination of the photo-cell 14, the amount of the reflected light depending on the light-reflecting characteristics of the material within the gauge glass. As another modification (see Figure 4), the photo-cell 14 may be placed in the path of this reflected light beam so that the function of the photo-cell will be efieoted principally, or Y exclusively, by the variation of the intensity of the reflected light caused by the replacement of the air by the cleaning fluid within the gauge glass 12. As a further alternative, the photo-cell 14 may be placed in the path of the refracted beam of light, shown by the dotted line in Fig. 4, with the possible result that the illumination of the photo-cell will be increased when the air within the gauge glass 12 is replaced by the cleaning fluid.

In the present invention, the function of the photocell 14 is to effect the closing of the relay switch 15 whenever, at the level of the photo-cell, the air within the liquid level gauge 12 is replaced by the fluid, as a result of the rising of the fluid level in the tank 2. It is within the spirit of the present invention to employ liquid level gauges of other shapes, than illustrated in the drawing, and made of other suitable material, than glass, provided that the function of the photo-cell, defined in the previous sentence, is accomplished by a plus or minus change in the illumination of the photo-cell caused by the variation of the light conduction, light refraction and lightreflection, or any choice or combination of them, experienced whenever the air within the gauge 12 is replaced by the fluid.

It is also within the spirit of the present invention to operate the switches and 120 by a timing mechanism or by other automatic control methods.

The operation of my apparatus is as follows:

The outlets 3 and 103 of the two tanks are connected to the ends of the pipe line to be washed. Then, with both valves 6 and 106 in the closed position, pipes 7 and 107 are connected to the compressed air supply. In case the valves 6 and 106 are not found initially in the closed position, they may be brought into the closed position manually by means of the handles secured to the operating rods 9 and 109. Then, switches 20 and 120 will be opened and terminals 21 and 22 will be plugged into the electrical supply system. Following this, the cleaning fluid is deposited into the tank 2 and the cover 4 is replaced and secured. Then, the light source 13 and the photo-cell 14 will be moved together alongside the level gauge 12 until the beam of light projected from the. light source 13 will be below the liquid level seen in the level gauge 12, and, following this, the light source 113 and the photo-cell 114 will be adjusted to the same level alongside the level gauge 112. As, at the measured level, the level gauge 112 contains only air, the relay switch 115 will be kept open by the action of the photo-cell 114. In the other tank, however, the level gauge 12 contains fluid at the measured level, hence, the action of the photo-cell 14 will close the relay switch 15.

The starting of the washing operation is now accomplished by the closing of the switches 20 and 120, as a result of which the solenoid 10 will be energized, causing the opening of the air control valve 6, permitting the flow of the compressed air from the pipe 7, through the open valve 6, and the pipe 5, into the upper portion of the tank 2. This compressed air will force the cleaning fluid from the tank 2, through the pipe line 1, into the tank 102, at high velocity, causing an eflective washing of the inside surface of the pipe line.

The first result of this transfer of the fluid will be that the fluid level in the tank 2 and in the level gauge 12 will be lowered below the level of the photo-cell 14, causing the opening of the relay switch 15. This will deenergize the solenoids 10 and 111, the valves 6 and 106, however will remain in their former positions due to their frictional resistance. When this transfer of the cleaning fluid from tank 2 into tank 102 is completed, the fluid level in the level gauge 112 will have risen above the level of the photo-cell 114, will cause the closing of the relay switch 115. This will energize the solenoids and 11, opening the valve 106 and closing the valve 6. As a result of this, the compressed air can now flow into the upper portion of the tank 102, forcing the cleaning fluid from the tank 102 into the tank 2. When this reverse transfer is completed the photo-cell 14 will step into action and will again reverse the position of the valves 6 and 106, causing the cleaning fluid to flow again from the tank 2 into the tank 102.

This alternately reversed flow of the cleaning fluid will be continued until the cleaning efliciency of the fluid is fully utilized. The transfer of the fluid can be terminated at the end of the cycle by the opening of the switch 20 or 120, and thereby preventing the energizing of the corresponding opening solenoid 6 or 106, and thus shutting off the compressed air for the coming reverse cycle.

It is to be understood that the forms of my invention herein shown and described, are only examples of the same and that various changes in the forms and arrangements of part may be resorted to, without departing from the spirit of my invention or the scope of th subjoined claims.

I claim:

1. An apparatus for cleaning a pipe line, comprising, a pair of closed tanks for holding the cleaning fluid, with outlets connected to opposite ends of the pipe line; a pair of fluid level gauges, with light-transmitting walls, each mounted on one of said tanks, and being adapted to have the same fluid level as the corresponding tank; a pair of light sources, each vertically adjustably mounted on one of said tanks, and being adapted to project a beam of light to the fluid level gauge on the same tank; a pair of photo-cells, each vertically adjustably mounted on one of said tanks, and being disposed to receive illumination by portions of said beam of light projected to the fluid level gauge on the same tank, said illumination being variable in intensity depending whether said fluid level gauge contains air or fluid in the path of said beam of light; a pair of relay switches, each operatively connected to one of said photo-cells, and being adapted to he in the closed position when the illumination of said photo-cell corresponds to a fluid content of said level gauge, and to be in the open position when the illumination of said photo-cell corresponds to an air content of said level gauge, in th path of said light beam; air supply lines adapted to conduct compressed air, alternately, to one of said tanks in order to force the cleaning fluid through the pipe line, into the other tank; a pair of control valves, inserted into said air supply lines, each adapted to regulate the fiow of compressed air into one of said tanks, said valves having open and closed positions and are arranged to be in opposite positions during the cleaning operation of said apparatus; remote control means, interconnecting said control valves and said relay switches, and being adapted to reverse the positions of the said pair of control valves when one of said relay switches has moved into the closed position.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 in which said photo-cell is of the photoconductive type, the resistanc of which being a function of the intensity of the light received, and the relay switches are adapted to close and open at variable predetermined currents flowing through said photo-cells.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 in which said photo-cell is of the photoemissive type, and the photo-electric current produced by said photo-cell is a function of the intensity of the light received; and the relay switches are adapted to close and open at variable predetermined currents flowing through said photo-cells.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 in which said remote control means connecting said control valves and relay switches comprises an opening and a closing solenoid operatively connected to each of said control valves, and electrical connections between solenoids and said relay switches, so adapted that the closing of a relay switch will open the control valve on the same tank, and will close the control valve on the other tank.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,072,948 Gefls Mar. 9, 1937 2,2l8,698 Clark Oct. 22, 1940 2,238,872 Mather Apr. 15, 1941 2,382,648 Martin Aug. 14, 1945 2,690,756 St. Palley Oct. 5, 1954 

